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Sports | Basketball Men's 1037

SPORTS

Orange crushed

Dillon Davis
October 26, 2013

CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — Connor Cook was at a crossroad. Coming off an underwhelming passing performance in a 14-0 victory against hapless Purdue, the sophomore quarterback spent the week answering questions of whether he had regressed, or perhaps if the offense ever actually progressed in the first place. A tedious and tiring project, Cook stood in defense of a team once briefly met with praise on the offensive side of the ball, knowing one play could turn the tide.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Women's soccer takes down Northwestern in tough conditions

Derek Blalock
October 25, 2013

Despite difficult playing conditions and winds up to 20 miles per hour, the MSU women’s soccer team beat Northwestern, 2-1, in Evanston, Ill., on Friday night. MSU (9-6-2 overall, 3-6-0 Big Ten) quickly fell behind the Wildcats (3-12-2, 1-8-0) when, in the 15th minute, Northwestern midfielder Margo McGinty shot from 18 yards out and got it past Gauruder in the top left corner of the net. Head coach Tom Saxton said the Wildcats got the best of them physically in the early going and got better position than the Spartans.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio, Spartans hitting road

Stephen Brooks
October 24, 2013

Bill Cubit was winless against MSU in three tries during his eight-year tenure as the head coach of Western Michigan. Since being fired at the end of last year in Kalamazoo, Cubit was hired by second-year Illinois head coach Tim Beckman to man the controls of his offense.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey to host UMass-Lowell, Boston University

Zach Smith
October 24, 2013

After a disappointing opening weekend that saw the MSU hockey team lose a pair of games against UMass, they hope to bounce back as they hit the ice at home for the first time this season. The Spartans (0-2 overall) take on No. 18 UMass-Lowell on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. and No. 13 Boston University on Oct. 26 at 7:05 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Merchant hopes injury bug keeps its distance in 2013-14

Derek Blalock
October 24, 2013

Last season was plagued with injuries and suspensions for MSU women’s basketball. Despite opening the season with one of its best starts in school history — winning 13 of its first 14 games, and later getting to the Big Ten championship game and making the NCAA Tournament — MSU played much of last season without key contributing members. The Spartans’ playing lineup consisted mainly of six players, and this season they can expect a couple key additions.

FOOTBALL

Column: Perception vs. reality with MSU football

Dillon Davis
October 24, 2013

When it comes to measuring the MSU football team, there’s a growing distinction between perception and reality. Early season offensive demons reemerged last week as the Spartans (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) slinked away with a 14-0 victory against Big Ten bottom-dweller Purdue. Sophomore Connor Cook appeared more like a drunkard throwing darts than a Division I quarterback, seemingly regressing from a stellar stretch he had against Iowa and Indiana.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball drops back-and-forth match to Michigan

Omari Sankofa II
October 23, 2013

With a third-consecutive loss, head coach Cathy George said it’s time for the volleyball team to get back to basics — and back to work. “People are trying to do a little bit too much more than they have to,” George said. “You don’t have to press to get things done. You have to execute to get things done. There has to be patience in your game.”

VOLLEYBALL

No. 10 MSU volleyball takes step back after hot start

Dillon Davis
October 23, 2013

After nearly a decade at MSU, Cathy George is in special territory. By building the MSU volleyball program into a serious Big Ten contender and starting the season off with the best record of any Spartan team since 1996, the volleyball head coach has the opportunity to place the program among the national elite – a path not unlike the one taken years ago by men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo.

MEN'S SOCCER

Men's soccer draws with Akron

Zach Smith
October 23, 2013

For the fourth time in the last five games, the men’s soccer team had to go to double overtime to see the end of a contest. The No. 17 Spartans (8-2-3 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) played to a 0-0 draw against No. 18 Akron (10-3-1) in Akron, Ohio Wednesday night.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Evans has no regrets after leaving Vanderbilt

Derek Blalock
October 23, 2013

In her third year of college, Kirsten Evans is in her first as a Spartan. Out of high school, the redshirt sophomore midfielder committed to the Vanderbilt women’s soccer team. Because of an injury after just six games into her freshman year, she was sidelined the remainder of the season. After being redshirted in 2012, the Farmington Hills, Mich., native left Nashville and transferred to MSU at the winter break, joining the Spartan women’s soccer team this spring.

FOOTBALL

Thomas remaining positive after slow start to MSU career

Dillon Davis
October 23, 2013

Death, taxes and answering questions about Lawrence “LT” Thomas. At this point, those are the certainties in the life of head coach Mark Dantonio. After answering at least one question about the sophomore defensive end almost weekly since the season began, it’s become a practice as steady and consistent as clockwork for Dantonio. Since Thomas suffered an undisclosed injury during summer workouts, there’s been an insatiable thirst to know the status of the former five-star prospect from Detroit.

BASKETBALL

Men's basketball looking to secure Final Four run

Stephen Brooks
October 23, 2013

It was a regular August day when men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo popped into a weight lifting session to check on his team, and walked away with a lasting message from a former great. The player was Draymond Green, who spent much of his summer in East Lansing working out with the squad, and the message sheds light on just how high the expectations are for the No. 2-ranked Spartans in the 2013-14 season. “Day-Day came over and said to me, ‘Coach, I’d die to play with this team,’” Izzo said. “From Draymond Green, that was a statement of all statements.”

SPORTS

Field hockey squeaks by CMU

Olivia Dimmer
October 22, 2013

MSU women’s field hockey walked away from Tuesday’s game against Central Michigan with a 1-0 victory. Coming off of a 4-3 loss to No. 5 Penn State, the win boosted team morale and put the Spartans at .500 on the season.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio talks Illinois, injury

Stephen Brooks
October 22, 2013

With MSU past the halfway point of its season, head coach Mark Dantonio’s message Tuesday wasn’t unlike the one he delivered the previous week. After his team practiced poorly leading up to it and struggled to put away Purdue in a sloppy 14-0 win, Dantonio again emphasized testing his players’ ability to handle success as well as the increasingly difficult nature of the schedule as the season wears on. Despite their solid record, the Legends Division-leading Spartans (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) sit just outside the top-25 polls as they travel to Illinois (3-3, 0-2) for a 3:30 p.m.